This invention relates to semiconductor test systems, and more particularly to an apparatus for quick device-under-test board connection and disconnection.
Semiconductor test systems are used for testing integrated circuit (IC) devices to verify their performance characteristics. For limited volume testing, the IC device can be placed in a test fixture that is mounted on a device-under-test (DUT) board, or the DUT board can be docked with a semiconductor wafer prober or package handler for high volume production testing.
Semiconductor test systems are increasingly required to bring large numbers of high integrity digital and analog signals to bear on ever smaller and more dense device input and output pin arrangements. Mixed signal testers, in particular, are required to have a reconfigurable device-under-test interface because there is such a variety of different DUT pinouts for mixed analog and digital devices. The need to change DUT boards frequently and yet be able to make a high quality connection to a large number of signals, requires a DUT board connection and disconnection system that is easy to use and that exerts a proper amount of pressure over a large but variable connection area in a highly predictable way.